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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to improving nutrition and health outcomes among |
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recipients of benefits under the supplemental nutrition assistance |
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program. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. FINDINGS AND DECLARATION OF POLICY. The |
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legislature finds that: |
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(1) Texans are committed to ensuring the health of |
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families and children and understand the importance of the role |
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preventive health care measures have on population health and the |
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state economy; |
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(2) consuming healthy foods such as fruits, |
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vegetables, whole grains, fat-free and low-fat dairy products, and |
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seafood, and consuming fewer foods with sodium, saturated and trans |
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fats, added sugars, and refined grains, are important preventive |
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health care measures; and |
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(3) public benefits programs that provide recipients |
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with access to an adequate and nutritional diet should incorporate |
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sound nutritional principles and promote the health and well-being |
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of recipients. |
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SECTION 2. WAIVER OR OTHER AUTHORIZATION TO IMPROVE |
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NUTRITION AND HEALTH OUTCOMES UNDER CERTAIN PROGRAMS. (a) The |
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executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission |
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shall develop and seek a waiver or other appropriate authorization |
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from the United States secretary of agriculture under Section 17, |
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Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. Section 2026), to make |
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changes to the supplemental nutrition assistance program provided |
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under Chapter 33, Human Resources Code, to improve nutrition and |
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health outcomes among recipients of benefits under the program. |
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(b) In developing the waiver or other authorization under |
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Subsection (a) of this section, the executive commissioner of the |
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Health and Human Services Commission may consider the feasibility, |
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including the costs and benefits, of: |
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(1) restricting the purchase of certain food items |
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with minimal nutritional value under the supplemental nutrition |
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assistance program; and |
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(2) promoting healthy food choices by recipients of |
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benefits under the program. |
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(c) In developing the waiver or other authorization under |
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Subsection (a) of this section, the executive commissioner of the |
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Health and Human Services Commission shall solicit input from |
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interested persons, including state agencies that administer |
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nutritional assistance programs, nonprofit organizations that |
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administer hunger relief programs, health care providers, |
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nutrition experts, food retailers, and food industry |
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representatives. |
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(d) As soon as practicable after the effective date of this |
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Act, the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services |
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Commission shall apply for and actively pursue the waiver or other |
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authorization as required by Subsection (a) of this section. |
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SECTION 3. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect |
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immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members |
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elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas |
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Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for |
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immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2011. |